Fused Multispectral Weapon Sight (FMWS)

Northrop Grumman Delivers First Fused Multispectral Weapon Sight to U.S. Army

(Source: Northrop Grumman Corp.; issued Oct. 12, 2004)

GARLAND, Texas --- Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered its first Fused Multispectral Weapon Sight (FMWS) to the U.S. Army. The sight will improve foot soldiers’ survivability and lethality, enhancing their ability to “control the night.”

The company’s Electro-Optical Systems (EOS) unit has integrated advanced image sensors, electronics and optics to produce the first truly digitally image-fused weapon/observation sight. The FMWS combines the best capabilities of an image intensifier with those of an infrared detector.

“The sight yielded very impressive results, producing clear images on both image-intensifier and infrared channels with surprising flesh tones,” said Jack Lillie, the Army’s FMWS program manager, following a demonstration. “It will provide the U.S. warfighter with a great advantage over the enemy in situational awareness, based on the best of both imaging worlds.”

The FMWS will augment conventional night-vision capability by adding infrared detection of “hot’’ targets such as recently driven vehicles or recently fired weapons, imaging and detection of near-infrared lasers, imaging through glass and through battlefield obscurants, depth-of-field enhancement, and real-world visual cues.

The Army’s upcoming field trials will garner feedback from the infantry as well as from participants representing the U.S. Marine Corps and Special Operations Command. The initial FMWS trial unit, first unveiled at the Marine Corps’ Industry Day in mid-July, was also demonstrated at the Modern Day Marine Exposition and at the Army’s Infantry Conference, both of which took place last month.

In addition to producing image-intensifier tubes and night-vision systems for both ground and airborne applications, Northrop Grumman offers a full array of precision optics, including components, coatings, opto-mechanical assemblies and optical systems.